Maggie Lange

Amid talk of new sanctions and continued U.S.-South Korea joint military drills, North Korea has vowed to cancel the 1953 Korean War cease-fire. North Korea's Korean People's Army Supreme Command issued a statement earlier today, as reports came that Washington and North Korean ally Beijing approved a draft of punishing new sanctions in response to North Korea's latest nuclear test.

This Feb. 12 nuclear test was North Korea's third nuclear test, giving the United States and others concern that the country is coming closer to its goal of obtaining nuclear-armed missiles that could reach America. North Korea said this program is in response to U.S. hostility. The Korean People's Army Supreme Command said they could issue "surgical strikes" on South Korea with the intention to unify the divided Korean Peninsula. Such heated threats are common from North Korea, especially in the midst of rising tensions.

The U.N. security council should be examining the sanctions draft next week. They announced late yesterday evening that they will hold closed consultations today on North Korea to discuss non-proliferation. All 15 council members approved a press statement just hours after the blast on Feb. 12 condemning Pyongyang's nuclear test and pledging further action.